It's high noon in Enfield, Southgate. The affluent north London suburb, playground of retired bank managers and middle class families, is the setting for one of the toughest election battles between New Labour and the Conservatives.
In the red corner is Stephen Twigg, the man who memorably defeated Michael Portillo in 1997 in a spectacular victory that became a symbol of Conservative meltdown. In the blue corner is the Eurosceptic former businessman John Flack. Since his victory over Portillo, Twigg has worked hard to consolidate Labour's toehold in the constituency (he won with a majority of just 1,433). He has established links with the Greek-Cypriot community here and he is a member of the Labour Friends of Israel group - he supports a "two state solution" in Israel and Palestine.
Handing out election leaflets at Arnos Grove tube station on a sunny Friday evening, Twigg admits this time round the battle against the Conservatives will be much tougher.
This time, he doesn't have a vote-winning issue on the scale of the anti-Portillo campaign and he is fighting purely on his and Labour's record in parliament. The strong economy and commitment to public services are the key election issues, but Twigg is honest about his chances: "It will be very, very close. It really could go either way, it's 50/50."
Chatting to commuters Twigg is an assured performer. He needs to be to convince Liberal Democrat voters who supported him in 1997 not to switch camps and Labour voters satisfied with the party's performance in government but somewhat apathetic not to stay at home.
He gets his chance when a Labour voter, threatening not to vote for him this time, walks up and complains loudly about "filthy" hospitals.
"I was so pleased when you got in," the man says. "But I'm so anti-Labour now. You're lucky the opposition is so weak that it takes a member of the public to confront Blair about the health service."
Laughing as the man suggests Labour has raised taxes "by stealth," Twigg dismisses him and accuses the man of rhyming off Tory propaganda. "
In his campaign office in Oakwood a few miles away, John Flack is speaking candidly about the "huge knock" the party took when Portillo lost the seat. "People were very shocked, it was a wake-up call but I have seldom come across people so determined to win a seat back," he says.
It is a miserable day outside, so there will be no knocking on doors this morning. Instead, the "plain-speaking" Flack is keen to talk about local politics and Europe. He berates the Labour council, insisting their incompetence is "my biggest asset" and he says the local education system is "a disaster" with 160 children being taught in a local library because there are not enough school places.
One of Flack's five key pledges is to "keep Britain a free, independent state" and he wears his Eurosceptic credentials on his sleeve - well, on his Union Jack cufflinks. He isn't sure if Euroscepticism will get the Tory vote out, but he is adamant that most voters want to keep the pound: "I don't want to be part of a United States of Europe. It's not just an economic issue, it is about having to give up sovereignty."
Waving goodbye, he says confidently: "Ring me for a quote when I'm elected."